Parole board member shoots down 'flowery' resolution for outgoing chief

Bickley resigned effective Friday after receiving alleged threats from McCall.

The proposed resolution by Pardon and Parole Board Chairman Robert Gilliland highlighted the agency’s accomplishments under Bickley’s leadership.

But it also discussed increased agency productivity, a reduction in the prison population for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and a record commutation docket that saved the state $50 million annually. It also referred to positive national and state media attention the agency garnered for criminal justice reform.

“I don’t support that,” McCall said. “Given the letters we got over this past week, I cannot support that.”

McCall said the resolution was “misleading,” giving credit to Bickley when most of the work was done by staff.

Board member Larry Morris also had concerns.

“I just think when we start mentioning the Department of Corrections incarceration rate and start talking about what the governor’s mission was when he assumed office, it gives the appearance we are working for the governor,” Morris said.

The agency is an independent organization that looks at the cases independently and on the merits, he said.

Gov. Kevin Stitt has three appointees to the panel while the Oklahoma Supreme Court and Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals each have one appointee.

While Morris personally believes the state needs criminal justice reform, it is not the mission of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, he said.

McCall said the board received six or seven letters from staff members while another eight or 10 people out there were afraid to send them.

He said staff were not treated very respectfully over the last eight or 10 months.

“I apologize that I didn’t call this guy out earlier,” McCall said.

McCall, in an earlier email to Bickley, said Bickley attempted to impose his personal anti-death penalty beliefs on the board and staff, adding that he would move for his termination and would ask to appear before the state’s multicounty grand jury to present evidence of multiple law violations by Bickley and others.

In his letter of resignation, Bickley said he could no longer tolerate his work environment, adding that board members were actively seeking to create conflict between himself and staff.

Referring to letters from staff, McCall said there had been statements that were sexist and racist and demeaning to female employees, which he found unacceptable.

“And I will not stand for it now or ever,” McCall said. “Again, I am all about thanking him for his service and wishing him the best, but I am not going to agree to some flowery, political statement like that one.”

Board member Kelly Doyle said the resolution needed to be refined.

“I do want to caution that I don’t think it is very fair to, you know, malign a person who is not here to defend themselves nor where there is a full investigation of all those complaints,” she said.

The resolution did not receive a motion and was passed until next month to give Gilliland time to circulate a different resolution. Gilliland was not present during the business meeting.

“Oklahoma will continue to struggle with inefficient, bloated bureaucracy when unsubstantiated slander is the tactic used to avoid discussing differing perspectives on life-altering policies,” Bickley said when asked for a response concerning the statements made at the meeting.

The Pardon and Parole Board appointed Deputy Director Melinda Romero as interim director pending the outcome of a search for Bickley’s replacement.

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